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Asbestos Management

Cause for thought

Asbestos exposure is the greatest Occupational Health Risk ever faced by British workers.

Currently about 3,500 people are dying every year from Asbestos exposure, not just workers, but their families as well.

Deaths are expected to rise to over 4000 per year by 2011.

Up to 500,000 commercial, industrial and public buildings in the UK are believed to contain asbestos materials.

Manifestation of illness due to Asbestos has a lead time of up to 35 years. Those dying now were probably infected years ago.

Current legislation is to save future generations of workers.

Asbestos management is an ongoing commitment in all non-domestic properties since 2004.

The first step an asbestos survey of the property to establish what asbestos is present, its location and condition.

We provide independent asbestos risk assessment and management, NOT asbestos removal. This results in all advice being impartial. We serve business throughout the UK including London, Berkshire and Surrey.

All asbestos surveys carried out by us comply with 'MDHS 100', the HSE guidance, and are completed by surveyors qualified to P402, the statutory standard.

Asbestos Surveys available from us:

Type 1 - visual inspection only, known as a 'presumptive survey' because everything that could contain asbestos must be presumed todo so. Any 'presumed materials' must be treated as asbestos, causing undue ongoing cost and inconvenience, which is why they are not recommended.

Type 2 - a more detailed asbestos survey that results in sampling of suspected materials and analysis for asbestos. Costs little more but provides authoritative results. Recommended.

Type 3 - full access sampling and identification survey, used prior to demolition and major refurbishment. By their nature these surveys are likely to damage the building and its decoration.

The purpose of undertaking an asbestos survey is to create an 'Asbestos Register', that is easy to use by owners, managers, staff and anyone visiting the premises to undertake building or maintenance tasks.

These are the people most likely to be at risk of asbestos exposure, to the fibres in ducts and service areas.

The 'Asbestos Register' requires regular updating to ensure that asbestos containing materials have not deteriorated causing danger.

Asbestos Awareness Training provided by us:

The course is aimed at tradesmen likely to come across Asbestos in their work and covers:

The properties of Asbestos
Its effects on health
Its relationship to smoking
The types, uses and likely occurrence of Asbestos
Emergency procedures in the event of release of Asbestos dust into the workplace
How to avoid exposure

Training

Asbestos Awareness

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 require employers to provide information, instruction and training to employees liable to be exposed to Asbestos and their supervisors. This includes the self employed.

The list of trades in the Approved Code Of Practice includes general maintenance staff, electricians, plumbers, gas fitters, painters and decorators, joiners, plasterers, demolition workers, construction workers, roofers, heating and ventilation engineers, telecommunication engineers, fire and burglar alarm installers, computer installers, architects, building surveyors and similar professionals, and shop fitters.

These are all trades likely to work in rarely used service areas of buildings. These staff should be aware of the dangers, not relying on existing surveys, of unknown quality.

Web Links

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The Health and Safety Executive.

London, Berkshire, Surrey